Migraines Suck
by EpsilonPax
Summary: Migraines. Suck. Our OC Elena suffers from a migraine of epic proportions and finds that the best remedy is not aspirin but the nice comfy seats in everyone's favorite Big Rig. Rated for language.


**A/N: Pre:DOTM; Poor Elena suffers from a migraine of epic proportions and looks for a place of respite while Optimus finds himself, yet again, at the wrong place at the wrong time. **

**For the purposes of this one-shot, at this point in time, Epps and Elena are already married (please see character description in our bio for more info on both Elena and her marriage to Epps)**

**Enjoy with aspirin, or, failing that, a nice comfy seat in everyone's favorite Big Rig ;) **

**Please R & R!**

**~~~Epsilon Pax and Bumbee**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, we know, we know, we get nothing, nada zip...'cept our OC Elena!**

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Migraines. Suck.

Huddled in the tiny back office, with the lights off, Elena pillowed her aching forehead on her arms, the aspirin she had been popping like candy all morning only served to slightly diminish the pounding behind her temples. About three times a year did her headaches reach the skull splitting pain of a migraine level. She groaned again, cursing her luck. Of course it had to be today of all days; Director Galloway was supposed to pay a visit to the base this afternoon precisely when any bright lights or sounds sent echoing shudders of pain throughout her head.

Damn. It.

Just when she had fathomed enough energy to lean back in her chair, and was beginning to gather herself for the effort of walking into the hanger and perhaps seeing if any of the Autobots would be willing to take her home, hell at this point she'd even ride with Ratchet, she heard it. Well, given her current state where even a pin dropping sounded more like a jack hammer, it was hard not to. The scuff of boots and raucous laughter resonated throughout the hanger, making Elena cradle her head in her hands again: the boys had arrived. She could hear them, painfully clear, hovering just outside the office doorway. As always, she heard Epps and Lennox first, but then, as the cacophony clattered above the normal levels that were produced by just the two of them, she wearily began to distinguish the voices of Olsen, Stuart and Vladimir.

Oh how she loved them all.

Now if only they would go far, far away…

"Guys…"Her voice sounded feeble even to her, "Guys, could you please keep it down?"

A fresh peal of laughter broke out and the pain pulsed in her head anew. She sighed, resigned to trying again. "Can you keep it down?"

This time the sound of one of the metal desks grated on the concrete as it was moved in a friendly scuffle. It made her grind her teeth in agony. Screw it; she was done being nice.

_"Shut up guys!" _

What she had taken for an impressively loud yell went completely unnoticed. Muttering curses that would have made even Epps' eyes pop, Elena reluctantly came to the conclusion that she was either going to have to come up with some elaborate means of getting their attention or she was going to have to get out of the office. She cursed again; both required energy she just didn't have. Blinking blearily against the day light that managed to filter in through the door, Elena's gaze fell upon a possible answer: her clipboard. Wincing again as she reached for it, and the metal clip scraped against the desk's surface; she threw it with as much force as she could muster through the door.

"OW! What the F-!"

Pity, apparently she had hit Stuart, and here she had been so hoping to catch either Lennox or Epps. Oh well, right now she was in too much pain to be picky, "Shut up guys!"

She blinked as the sunlight momentarily diminished as someone, she couldn't tell whom, poked his head in the door, "Elena, are you ok?" Lennox.

Having been ignored made her snappish, "No, I'm not ok. I have a migraine so fucking be quiet!" She grimaced as the light flickered back, undiluted by the presence of anyone. Distantly she heard Lennox relay the information to the others, "Just keep it down, Elena's got a headache."

Instantly Epps was alert, "Is she ok?"

" Of course, just leave her alone for a while."

She almost resented Lennox's confidence in her that she'd be all right, and when Epps didn't come in to check on her. Almost. Thankfully, it did seem as though Lennox was able to keep whatever it was they were doing out there to a decent volume. But she should have known it was short lived. For not ten minutes later, she couldn't help but notice the steady increase of noise. There just was no help for it; she was going to have to find them a new place to hang out; preferably someplace far away from her office. Recognizing that there was no way in hell they were going to realistically be any form of quiet, and thus, no way she could seek any reprieve in her office, Elena, groaning her way out of her chair, slowly made her way over to the door, keeping one hand pressed against her temple. She squinted in the searing light as she stepped through the doorway.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" If there had been any room in her beleaguered skull for anger, she would have been royally pissed; they were sitting around drinking beer. Beer. Elena huffed, "Oh. I. Hate. You. All."

A dissonance of earsplitting voices rose up from them, all, from what she could discern, attempting to offer some form of apology. She didn't have the will or patience to try and translate the babble. So, instead, trying to ignore the bright light of the hanger that was threatening to split her head open, Elena scanned the bay. Treacherous pain inducing sunlight winked off of blue and orange flames: Optimus. Perfect.

Throwing one last scathing glance at the soldiers, and pushing past Epps who seemed to have materialized besides her, Elena crossed the hanger that seemed to have tripled in size since that morning.

"Prime!" She snapped in a tone that would have made Ironhide proud, "Open the door!"

'"Elena, is everything all righ—"

She winced at the sound of his deep voice, "No. No talking. Door. Open. Now!" When he complied, she quickly clambered into his cab and slammed his door shut just to vent a tempter honed by pain. She instantly regretted it and the new noise made her grab her head and whimper. When he tried to ask her again what was wrong, the sound of his voice, much closer now, was too much for her to take. Blindly she smacked a hand over the nearest speaker, "No. No talking. No sound."

With another moan, Elena allowed herself to collapse back into his seat, lying lengthwise across the cushions did a world of good for her, and briefly the searing ache receded. Distantly she heard the mechanical hiss as Optimus sound proofed his cab against any outside noises. How thoughtful. She closed her eyes and allowed herself the luxury of a few more minutes of remaining unmoving, before admitting that she had trespassed upon his patience long enough.

"Thanks," she managed, "its just that I have a really bad migraine right now, and the boys were being too loud and I can't take any noise right now because it'll only make the pain worse." She sighed in contentment at the dead silence within the cab, "You know, I never realized how comfortable your seats are…"

A long pause, "Your sparkmate is knocking on my window. He wants to know if you're all right. Should I let him in?"

Damn, stubborn male, he wouldn't even try to be quiet before, how dare he act all concerned now! "You tell him to piss off!"

Outside Epps gaped at Optimus, "What did you just say?"

"I am merely relaying Elena's request verbatim."

"Alright, fine, she wants to play it that way, no problem." Thus declared, Epps parked himself on Optimus' fender, "I can sit here all day."

"That is not necessary."

Epps crossed his arms, " You just watch me. I'm not moving an inch until she comes out! I'm telling you, I'll sit here all damn day!"

"Sergeant, I would prefer that you didn't."

"Hey, she wants to be stubborn, well so can I!"

"Sergeant—"

"I'm not moving!"

"Sergeant…"

"She can throw her little temper tantrum all she wants—"

_"Sergeant—" _

_"_No, I mean it! Just because she isn't feeling well doesn't mean she has to always go running to you. C'mon Big Man, you've got more important things, and I'm her husband!"

"Sergeant, if you'd please—"

"I'm her husband damnit! And you'd better tell her that I—"

"_Robert Epps."_

_ "What?"_

"Your sparkmate has fallen asleep."

"…Oh."

"Elena is not feeling well, since I have nothing particularly demanding to attend to this afternoon, I am more than willing to allow her to remain where she is so that she may rest. And, as soon as she wakes, I will not only inform you, but I will bring her to you, providing she has no objections."

Not much he could say in the way of protest to that, "…Oh, well…thanks Big Man…"

"Sergeant?"

"What?"

"You may remove yourself from my fender now."

"Oh right…" Moving to comply, Epps turned to face the Peterbilt, "Look, I'm sorry…I just wanted to make sure that she's ok and—"

"I understand, Sergeant."

"Its just that—"

"Sergeant—"

"No, hear me out Big Man—"

"Sergeant, I believe Major Lennox is endeavoring to get your attention."

"Oh, right…"

But when Epps still lingered, Optimus felt obliged to gently murmur, "Good afternoon, Sergeant."

Recognizing the almost, but not quite, impatient dismissal, Epps nodded and moved to retreat back to where Lennox and the others waited. Though, after just a handful of steps he turned back to the patiently parked Semi," Just, tell her I love her, you know, when she wakes up."

There was true feeling laced in the human's tone; genuine concern for his sparkmate that no surface temper could ever completely conceal. Such a fine and delicate balance, just a fragile filament that separated such two, tempestuous and dissimilar emotions, that Optimus could not ignore, could not belittle the soldier's request, "Of course."

"Thanks, Big Man. I owe you big time." Still concerned, but recognizing that Elena was in the safest place possible in the entire galaxy, Epps at last rejoined Lennox and the others.

"Everything ok? How's Elena?" Lennox couldn't help but ask the moment Epps was in earshot.

"She's ok; she fell asleep in Optimus' front seat and he said he'll come get me when she wakes up or if she needs anything." Epps let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in a rush, "I hate migraines, man, they suck."


End file.
